TMCnet News
Matsui calls on more Japanese tourists to visit U.S., Yankee Stadium+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)TOKYO, Feb. 9_(Kyodo) _ New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui called on more Japanese tourists to visit the United States, and in particular his club's home stadium, in a ceremony Thursday at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Matsui, who was appointed as a tourism goodwill ambassador by New York City in 2004, recommended that Japanese visit such major tourist spots in the city as Central Park and said in Japanese, "Above all, Yankee Stadium." The U.S. Embassy hosted the event to "send off" Matsui and three other Japanese baseball players on U.S. major league clubs who will shortly go to the country for spring training. About 100 embassy staff members attended. The three others, all pitchers, are Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Tomokazu Ohka, Cleveland Indians right-hander Kazuhito Tadano and Yusaki Iriki, a right-hander who joined the New York Mets this year. The embassy hopes the star Japanese athletes of the sport which is popular in both countries will help promote tourism to the United States, said Joseph Donovan, who serves as deputy chief of mission of the embassy. "Many of your fans travel to the United States to watch you play," Donovan said. "We will do whatever we can to help more of your fans get to the United States (for tourism)." |